I escaped some of the winter cold this season with a trip to New Zealand over the Christmas period.
Unfortunately, the purpose of this antipodean trip was to re-join my wife and spend time with her family after her mum had passed away. Dear Jessie had lived a long, fruitful life; had travelled and experienced a great deal; and was loved deeply by her three daughters and devoted husband Bill.
At the moment of her passing, a pair of collared doves appeared outside, cooing loudly and in the days following, the house was visited by the smaller female, at first feeding on the deck before venturing inside through the open French doors. One time, it perched on Jessie’s chair in the living room for a full 15 minutes. Incredibly, when we looked back over photographs of Jessie’s memorial gathering, the dove could be seen standing in the kitchen door as if craning to hear the tributes in the adjoining room. The family are convinced this beautiful bird was the spirit of their mother incarnate, especially as it would come remarkably close to us and spend hours in our company.
It was wonderful to feel such a connection with this delicate creature that exuded only love and tenderness. Little wonder the dove is the symbol of peace and renewal.
Elegance
The collared doves found in New Zealand originate from Africa and are smaller and paler than the Eurasian variety we find in the UK. Both species are easy on the eye.
A pair visit our garden back home in Sudbury regularly, taking the seeds that have fallen from the hanging birdfeeder to the ground. They have a creamy grey-buff plumage and a black half-collar across the nape of their necks and add an air of elegance to the place when compared to their larger, more cumbersome cousin the wood pigeon.
The next time you see a collared dove, wait a while until they take flight – the steep vertical climb is enabled by a wonderful explosion of feathers, the dark wing tips become prominent as do the white ends of the tail feathers as they spread like fingers.
Spread
But the charm of the collared dove extends beyond its looks, and there is a delightful Greek myth behind its scientific name: Streptopelia decaocto, Strepto and pelia translate in Latin to ‘collar’ and ‘dove’ respectively, while decaocto is the number 18 in Greek.
The story goes that in ancient Greece a housekeeper was unhappy at her lowly pay, as she was only paid 18 pieces a year. She begged the Gods to let the world know how little she was rewarded by her mistress. Her pleas were heard by Zeus who transformed her into a dove, which has called out “deca octo” ever since.
Since learning of this captivating story, I have listened out for the call of the collared dove, a common sound of the English countryside and garden that most people will recognise. I am afraid to report that I have struggled to hear decaocto emanating from our local collared doves. I would describe the sound as more like a cuk, coo-coo.
And while the collared dove looks a delicate creature, it possesses a resilience that belies its graceful bearing.
The species has only inhabited these shores for less than 70 years, originating from near Asia and spreading across Europe throughout the 20th century. Reports of the first breeding pair of collared doves in the UK came from Cromer in Norfolk in the mid-1950s and since then the bird has spread across the country to a point where it is among the most populous species found in Britain. Its ability to breed all year round and take advantage of bird feeders are two reasons behind this success.
Common and widespread the collared dove may be, but the species will always have a special place in my heart.
Suffolkwilds 